Photos: 10 cheap and creative ways to beat the heat

1. On the rocks: If your fan isn’t cooling you down and seems to be only blowing that hot air around, try placing a shallow bowl filled with ice in front of it to increase the windchill factor.

Michael Aporius
/ Edmonton Journal

2. Switch off: Turn off computers, printers, actually ALL the many appliances you have plugged in sitting on standby. Skipping the dry cycle on your dishwasher, line dry your clothes and turning off your computer(s) when they aren’t in use are all good ways to keep the temperature down. Even light bulbs generate heat, especially the incandescent ones (they are old fashioned type with a filament that you shouldn't be using any more). Go the whole hog and unplug all the TVs, video, gaming consoles as well (tell the kids it’s a survival game and the one who complains first has to reset all the clocks when things cool down). You can keep the fans on, no need to be silly here.

3. Spritz yourself to bits: This one is so simple: keep a spray bottle of water in the fridge and spray your pulse points (head, neck, wrists, back of knees etc). Add a cucumber or lemon rind for an aromatherapy pick-me-up. Spritzing yourself is a fast way to cool down.
/ Scott Webster, The Windsor Star

4. Go public: If the house is a sweatbox, don’t stay home. The mall, the cinema, the library, the community centre gym, even the supermarket all offer free air conditioning. I once had to spend a day waiting for a bus in north Queensland, Australia, in 40 deg C heat and unobtrusively camped out in the post office to beat the heat. Do lock up before heading out, though. Burglars just LOVE a good heat wave.Andrey Rudakov
/ Bloomberg

5. Do the obvious: Stay hydrated. Water is your most effective choice here, and Metro Vancouver tap water is both free and tasty. If your tastebuds have been ruined by years of soda and sugary liquids, do what you need to, but remember the less stressed your body is the better it copes with high temperatures.SHAWKAT KHAN
/ AFP/GETTY IMAGES

6. Don’t obsess: Really, don’t sweat it. There is NOTHING you can do about the weather. Ever. Turn off that weather app, and skip the weather part of the newspaper. Ignorance really is bliss — studies have shown you can feel cooler if you don’t know the air temperature. The European Journal of Applied Physiology tested a bunch of cyclists, and found if they thought it wasn’t really hot when it actually was they performed just as well as they did when it was 10 deg. C cooler.S. WIESSINGER
/ AFP/Getty Images

7. Don’t cook: Eat out (free aircon remember?), or eat up all those leftovers. Use a non-heat producing appliance like a sous vide or slow cooker, or break out the barbecue (only Dad gets hot then). Smoothies are not only a liquid breakfast for Lululemon pant wearers, either. Slap together a salad, or gorge on watermelon and tell everyone else that structured meals are over-rated, and passe in 30 degree heat.
/ PROVINCE

8. Give low-tech a twirl: Use one of those umbrellas all Vancouverites own as a parasol to shield you from the sun. Twirl it like you mean it, and be come a trend setter. Add a hand fan (my local T&T sells them for less than the price of a pack of gum) and you’re good to go. A hand fan can make all the difference on a transit commute.Gord Waldner
/ The StarPhoenix

9. Three sheets to the wind: All the windows and doors are open and it’s still hot. Try spraying a bed sheet with cold water and hang it over an opening. Any passing breeze will cooler after it passes through. Also a bonus bug screen. If the neighbours raise their eyebrows, tell them it’s a dress rehearsal for Halloween.Virgil Rockford and Chantal Ther

10. Don’t forget the pets: A salt lick will help keep your best friend cool. Throw some chew toys, chicken broth and water into a large plastic bag and freeze it while sitting in a wide mouth container. After it is frozen, peel off the bag and serve.YOSHIKAZU TSUNO
/ AFP/Getty Images

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